The present invention relates to a clutch device to be used for coarse adjustment of the position of a device. In one embodiment, the clutch is used to stabilize and adjust the position of a laparoscopic surgical tool during laparoscopic surgery.
Current laparoscopic surgical tools are limited in accessibility of certain regions of the human body. Existing tools can perform invasive surgery without making a substantial incision, but these tools are incapable of bending within the body to reach, for example, the backside of the human heart. In addition, after being placed in the desired position, current tools are capable of very small movements at the tip of the tool. If the surgeon desires to move the tip a substantial distance, or reposition the tool, the surgeon must move the entire tool, often with both hands, at which point, the surgeon will not be able to operate the tip of the tool during the movement, and the tool will not be in a stable position during the movement.
Consequently, there exists a need in the art to provide a device by which the surgeon can reposition the surgical tool with only one hand while still operating the tip of the tool with the other hand, and while the device remains stable during and after the movement.
Disclosed is a clutch for adjusting the position of a device, comprising a housing having an interior wall defining a hollow interior; a shaft being capable of moving axially and rotationally within the hollow interior of the housing; at least one clutch element connected with the shaft; and an activator; whereby when the activator is disengaged the clutch element is in contact with the interior wall of the housing, preventing the movement of the shaft relative to the housing, and when the activator is engaged, the clutch element is not in contact with the interior wall of the housing, allowing for the movement of the shaft relative to the housing; where the device is connected to the shaft and the movement of the shaft relative to the housing moves at least a distal end of the device.